Summary. Comprehension Skill. Name. Moonwalk. Activity. Guess the Trait. Character/Setting

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1 Summary While daring each other to jump over rilles, or narrow valleys on the moon, Gerry and Vern get into trouble. Vern falls and hurts his knee while also knocking his battery loose. This gives him air to breathe in his spacesuit. Luckily, the boys are able to get to a nearby shelter where Vern is out of danger. Activity A Day on the Moon Together, talk about what a day on a space station on the moon would be like. What would you like to do and see? What would be dangerous? What things would be the same? What things would be different? Comprehension Skill Character/Setting A character is a person or animal in a story. Characters have traits, or qualities that tell you about them, and motivations, or reasons for acting. The setting is the location, time, and environmental conditions in which a story or poem occurs. Guess the Trait With a family member, look through a magazine that has several pictures of people. Each of you should choose one interesting photo and write down a list of five character traits you can guess about the person based on the photo and setting. For example, if someone is riding a bicycle in the woods, your list might include the traits likes the outdoors and enjoys exercise. Exchange lists and talk about whether you agree or disagree with your family member. Family Times 313

2 Lesson Vocabulary Words to Know Knowing the meanings of these words is important to reading. Practice using these words. Vocabulary Words loomed appeared dimly or vaguely as a large, threatening shape rille a long, narrow valley on the surface of the moon runt animal, person, or plant that is smaller than the usual size. If used about a person, runt is sometimes considered offensive. staggered moved or walked unsteadily; wavered summoning stirring to action; rousing taunted jeered at; mocked; reproached trench any ditch; deep furrow trudged walked wearily or with effort Conventions Prepositions and Prepositional Phrases A preposition is a word that shows a relationship between a noun and another word, such as a verb, adjective, or other noun. Prepositions are often used to relate one word to another in space or in time. For example: during, to, under, across. A preposition is also the first word in a group of words called a prepositional phrase. For example: out of the box, across the street, for a week. To avoid confusion, keep prepositional phrases close to the words they modify. The meaning of a sentence can change if the modifier is misplaced. Activity Preposition Letters Together with a family member, write a letter to someone using as many prepositional phrases as you can. The letter can be serious or silly. Underline the prepositional phrases. Practice Tested Spelling Words 314 Family Times

3 Character/Setting A character is a person or animal in a story. Characters have traits, or qualities that tell you about them, and motivations, or reasons for acting. You can often tell what a character is like by noticing how other characters act and speak around that person. The setting is the location, time, and environmental conditions in which a story or poem occurs. Directions Read the following passage. Then complete the diagram below. On a sunny afternoon while his brothers and sisters were outside playing, Martin stayed in his bedroom, studying a book about planets and stars. His room looked like something from outer space. The ceiling and walls were covered with stars. Martin was careful to place the plastic stars in their proper constellations. In one corner of the bedroom was a bookshelf covered with books about space. In another corner was a collection of models Martin had built spaceships, space stations, and robots. He loved to keep everything neat and tidy. Soon, he heard a knock at the door. His youngest brother was asking him to come outside and play. Martin, he said, it s no fun without you. Martin smiled, closed his book, and went outside for a game of basketball. Martin 1. is interested in 2. keeps his room 3. likes to build 4. is liked by 5. What is the setting of this passage? Home Activity Your child used a graphic organizer to understand a character. Think of one of your child s favorite stories. a few of the main character s traits without saying the name of the character or story. Have your child guess which character you re thinking of. Then have your child take a turn naming traits while you guess the character. R3.3 Use knowledge of the situation and setting and of a character s traits and motivations to determine the causes for that character s actions. Comprehension 315

4 Vocabulary Directions Choose the word from the box that best replaces the underlined word or words. Write the word on the line. 1. The sun shone into the narrow valley on the moon. 2. Justin walked with effort as he grew tired in the hot sun. 3. My brother picked out the unusually small animal as his favorite of the litter. 4. Tina became unsteady when she tried to walk in the space suit. 5. Lisa mocked her brother at the dinner table. 6. The thunder cloud hung threateningly above them. Directions Choose the word from the box that best matches each clue. Write the word on the line. 7. This is a ditch. Check the Words You Know loomed rille runt staggered summoning taunted trench trudged 8. You are doing this when you call on your own courage. 9. You might have walked like this when you were tired. 10. You might have walked like this after becoming dizzy. Write a Story Write a story about an adventure on the moon. Use as many vocabulary words as you can. Home Activity Your child identified and used vocabulary words from. Together, try to act out the meanings of words such as trudged, staggered, runt, and loomed. 316 Vocabulary R1.0 Word Analysis, Fluency, and Systematic Vocabulary Development

5 Vocabulary Synonyms Synonyms are words with the same or similar meanings. Sometimes an author describes an unfamiliar word with a synonym. In these cases, look for a word set off by commas and preceded by the words or, such as, or like. If a word s meaning is still unclear, look it up in a dictionary or thesaurus, a book that lists words and their synonyms and antonyms. Directions Read the following passage. Then answer the questions below. Use a dictionary or thesaurus to help you. Kiko and Val were excited about their vacation on the moon. They had heard stories but had never seen such things as a rille, which is like a valley. During the ride they were summoning, or rousing, their courage for their first walk on the moon. When they finally landed, Kiko staggered, or wavered, as she walked down the portable staircase. She remembered her mother s warning to be careful. Now Kiko could see a deep ditch, or trench, that posed a danger. Kiko gave Val a challenging look, and then taunted her for being too scared to leave the spacecraft. Though Val didn t like being mocked by Kiko, she wasn t about to move until she was perfectly ready. 1. What is a synonym for the word rille? How do you know? 2. How do you know rousing is a synonym for summoning? 3. What is a synonym for trench? Why might a trench be dangerous? 4. Use a dictionary or thesaurus to help you find synonyms for taunted. 5. After reading the passage, you might describe Val as feeling scared. What is a synonym for scared? Home Activity Your child identified the meanings of words using synonyms that appeared as context clues in a short passage. Taking turns with your child, find words in a dictionary or thesaurus you both know. One person reads aloud the synonyms that describe a word while the other tries to guess the word being described. R1.2 Apply knowledge of word origins, derivations, synonyms, antonyms, and idioms to determine the meaning of words and phrases. Vocabulary 317

6 Literary Elements Theme Directions Read the following story. Then answer the questions below. The spacecraft was performing strangely. I could hear peculiar noises coming from who knows where. Bleep! Bong! Bop! The same sounds repeated over and over again. I didn t want to alarm Rog in the rear compartment. Perhaps more importantly, I didn t want him to think that I couldn t handle a crisis. I pressed a button to increase the speed of the craft, and the ship jerked into its highest gear. I brought us back to a regular speed by slamming down the brake handle. Then, all of a sudden, the noises stopped. Rog came through the hatch and into the chamber. What on Earth are you doing? he said. I was sitting in the rear compartment, peacefully listening to my favorite song, Bleep! Bong! Bop! The next thing I know, I m being tossed all around the room! What was the title of that song? I asked, feeling embarrassed. Privately, I thought, Well, that explains that! 1. What problem is the narrator trying to solve? 2. How does the narrator try to solve the problem? 3. Why doesn t the narrator ask Rog for help? 4. What is the theme of this story? 5. On a separate sheet of paper, write a short story that uses the theme generosity helps the one who gives as well as the one who receives. Home Activity Your child identified the theme of a short fiction passage. Read a story together. Work together to identify the theme. Then discuss moments in your own lives where you have seen this theme exhibited. 318 Comprehension G3R3.4 Determine the underlying theme or author s message in fiction and nonfiction text.

7 Character and Setting A character is a person or animal in a story. Characters have traits, or qualities that tell you about them, and motivations, or reasons for acting. You can often tell what a character is like by noticing how other characters act and speak around that person. The setting is the location, time, and environmental conditions in which a story or poem occurs. Directions Read the following passage. Then answer the questions below. Rosie and Dana were best friends who were always competing. It was difficult for Dana that Rosie usually won everything. Rosie was better in math and science. She beat Dana in moon jumping contests. She was a better writer. To Dana, it even felt like Rosie slept better. The only thing Dana was better at was flying. So when Rosie dared Dana to fly her space runner into a moon cave, Dana couldn t say no. The two friends climbed into their space runners and pulled the top hatch closed. Dana fired the engine and stared into the cave. Inside looked dark and dangerous. She had never been inside. After a few minutes, Dana cut the engine and climbed out again. I m sorry, she said to Rosie. I like flying too much to risk my ship or my friend on a dare. 1. What is the setting of the story? 2. What are some of Rosie s character traits? 3. What is Dana s motivation for agreeing to fly into the moon cave? 4. What does Dana s decision not to take Rosie s dare tell you about her character? Home Activity Your child identified character and setting in a short passage. Together, talk about your child s favorite movie character. Have your child name some of that character s traits. Ask if the character acts a certain way or makes decisions that tell you what the character is like. Does the setting influence the character s traits? R3.3 Use knowledge of the situation and setting and of a character s traits and motivations to determine the causes for that character s actions. Comprehension 319

8 Character/Setting A character is a person or animal in a story. Characters have traits, or qualities that tell you about them, and motivations, or reasons for acting. You can often tell what a character is like by noticing how other characters act and speak around that person. The setting is the location, time, and environmental conditions in which a story or poem occurs. Directions Read the following passage. Then answer the questions below. Colin and the other astronauts were curious about the planet Zeeog. They knew from earlier scientific studies that life did exist there. However, they did not know exactly what form this life took. Was it intelligent life? Colin lowered the spacecraft over Zeeog s surface. Down below, he and the others could see several rows of square structures. The larger structures had markings on them perhaps some kind of writing? Now the astronauts could see creatures roaming around and moving in and out of the structures. These beings gathered together in groups and pointed upward at the spacecraft. As the craft neared the ground, many of the beings hurried inside. A few others stood outside with their arms outstretched in greeting to the visitors from Earth. 1. What do the structures with markings on them tell you about the creatures? 2. How are the creatures that hurry inside different from the ones that greet the ship? 3. What character traits do you imagine Colin and his crew to have? 4. What is the setting of the story? Home Activity Your child identified character traits and setting in a short passage. Together with your child, draw the landscape of an imaginary planet and its creatures. Talk about the setting and the character traits that most of the planet s inhabitants might have. 320 Comprehension R3.3 Use knowledge of the situation and setting and of a character s traits and motivations to determine the causes for that character s actions.

9 Order Form/Application Order forms and applications are charts with columns and spaces in which you can write or type. An order form is the means by which a person can purchase merchandise by completing a form and ing or sending it to a company. An application is a form by which a person can apply for a job. Application forms ask for identifying information such as name, address, and phone number, and also ask for the person s educational and job history. Directions Answer the questions below about the following order form. MOON BASE GAMMA ORDER FORM Click SUBMIT when you have completed this form. Item Number Item Quantity Price Big Bracelet $ + $5 shipping and handling TOTAL PRICE $ Billing Address Shipping Address Check this box if same as billing address * * * Street Address * Street Address * City * City * State * ZIP * State * ZIP * Country * Country Phone Phone * address PAYMENT METHOD Your comments and messages here. * Type of Credit Card * Account Number * Expiration Date * REQUIRED FIELD Submit 1. What is the difference between the two addresses on the form? 2. When would you provide only one address? 3. What does quantity mean? 4. What boxes are you not required to fill in on this form? 5. What do you do when you are finished filling out the form? G5W1.4 Create simple documents by using electronic media and employing organizational features (e.g., passwords, entry and pulldown menus, word searches, a thesaurus, spell checks). Research and Study Skills 321

10 Directions Use this online job application form to answer the questions below. Lincoln Library Association SUMMER INTERNSHIP EMPLOYMENT APPLICATION 1. PERSONAL INFORMATION Address Telephone Date You Can Start Working 3. JOB EXPERIENCE Job Title Employer 5. REFERENCE Telephone Relationship 6. WHY DO YOU WANT THIS JOB? 2. EDUCATION and Location of School Grade You Will Complete This Year 4. OTHER SKILLS 1. What is the purpose of this application? 2. Why would the library ask for a reference? 3. In what section would you say when you could start your internship? 4. In which of the six sections of the application would you give information about skills you would bring to a position at the library? 5. What would be a good answer to the question in box number 6? Home Activity Your child learned about order forms and applications. Use the Internet to look up an online application. Have your child point out the different parts of an application. 322 Research and Study Skills G5W1.4 Create simple documents by using electronic media and employing organizational features (e.g., passwords, entry and pulldown menus, word searches, a thesaurus, spell checks).